(WXYZ) — Just one week after the big unveil of the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning, the automaker is expected to make another major announcement surrounding the future of its electric fleet.
On Wednesday, the auto giant is slated to announce it's making two all-electric vehicle platforms by 2025. This would bring Ford closer to competitors Volkswagen and GM, both of which will have at least two EV platforms and have pledged tens of billions to further electrify their lineups.
The idea is that these two platforms will allow Ford to streamline its electric rollout globally. The automaker has previously said it will spend $22 billion through 2025 to electrify many of its vehicles, and obviously, a lot of promise has been placed on the F-150 Lightning.
"It's very important as people are starting to form their brands around electric vehicles that we're there early," CEO Jim Farley said last week at the Lightning unveil.
The two all-electric platforms will give Ford somewhat of an architectural template to base many of its future EVs off of. Reuters reports Ford will develop one EV platform for full-size trucks and SUVs and another for cars and crossovers.
According to Reuter's sources, Ford will launch at least nine all-electic cars and crossovers and at least three electric trucks, vans and larger SUVs, including a second-gen F-150 Lighting and Mustang Mach-E.
The platform for the first-generation Lightning is based mostly on the traditional gas-powered F-150.
Ford is making its commitment to an electric future as well with the re-naming of its Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights to the Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center.
Farley said the company is focusing on insourcing batteries, something expected to be further discussed during the investor's meeting on Wednesday morning.
"If you look at the chip shortage situation right now having a secure supply of batteries that we control, it's really important," Farley said.
